Phlox plant named ‘Early Bird’

ABSTRACT

A new cultivar of  Phlox  plant named, ‘Early Bird’, that is characterized by its early bloom period that begins in mid-April, peaks in late April, and lasts four to five weeks, its large, overlapping, conspicuous striae that are deep purplish red in color, its flowers that are deep purplish pink in color, and its flowers that cover 100% of the plant at peak bloom.

Botanical classification: Phlox hybrid.

Cultivar designation: ‘Early Bird’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Phloxplant, botanically known as Phlox ‘Early Bird’ and will be referred tohereafter by its cultivar name, ‘Early Bird’. The new cultivarrepresents a new moss phlox, a herbaceous perennial grown for landscapeuse.

The new invention arose from an ongoing controlled breeding programconducted by the Inventor in Glencoe, Ill. The objectives of thebreeding program are to develop improved cultivars of interspecificPhlox hybrids with novel ornamental traits such as unique flower colors,plant habits, flower fragrance and adaptability to garden conditions inthe upper Midwest (U.S.D.A. Zone 5) and similar climates.

‘Early Bird’ was discovered by the Inventor as a chance seedling growingin his nursery in March of 2012. The new cultivar was found growing in atrial garden located nearby 17 proprietary unnamed cultivars of Phlox,thus the exact parentage is unknown.

Asexual propagation of the new cultivar was first accomplished by shoottip cuttings by the Inventor in May of 2012 in Glencoe, Ill. Asexualpropagation by shoot tip cuttings has determined that thecharacteristics of this cultivar are stable and reproduced true to typein successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and represent thecharacteristics of the new cultivar. These attributes in combinationdistinguish ‘Early Bird’ as a unique cultivar of Phlox.

-   -   1. ‘Early Bird’ exhibits an early bloom period that begins in        mid-April, peaks in late April, and lasts four to five weeks.    -   2. ‘Early Bird’ exhibits petals with large, overlapping,        conspicuous striae that are deep purplish red in color.    -   3. ‘Early Bird’ exhibits flowers that are deep purplish pink in        color.    -   4. ‘Early Bird’ exhibits flowers that cover 100% of the plant at        peak bloom.

‘Early Bird’ can be most closely compared to the Phlox subulatacultivars ‘Crimson Beauty’ (not patented) and ‘Scarlet Flame’ (notpatented). ‘Crimson Beauty’ is similar to ‘Early Bird’ in flower colorand in having conspicuous deep purplish red petal striae. ‘CrimsonBeauty’ differs from ‘Early Bird’ in having a later commencing bloomperiod, in having petal striae that are smaller in size and notoverlapping, and in having foliage that is larger in size. ‘ScarletFlame’ is similar to ‘Early Bird’ in having conspicuous deep purplishred petal striae. ‘Scarlet Flame’ differs from ‘Early Bird’ in having alater commencing bloom period, in having flowers with irregularly shapedpetals, in having flowers that are smaller in size, in having a morevigorous growth rate, and in having a less uniform growth habit that isboth upright and spreading.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceand distinct characteristics of the new Phlox. The photographs weretaken of three year-old plants of ‘Early Bird’ as grown outdoors in atrail garden in Glencoe, Ill.

The photograph in FIG. 1 provides a top view of ‘Early Bird’illustrating the plant in bloom.

The photograph in FIG. 2 provides a close-up view of the flowers of‘Early Bird’.

The colors in the photographs are as close as possible with thephotographic and printing technology utilized and the color values citedin the Detailed Botanical Description accurately describe the colors ofthe new Phlox.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION OF THE PLANT

The following is a detailed description of three year-old plants of thenew cultivar as grown outdoors in a trial garden in Glencoe, Ill. Thephenotype of the new cultivar may vary with variations in environmental,climatic, and cultural conditions, as it has not been tested under allpossible environmental conditions. The color determination is inaccordance with The 2015 R.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal HorticulturalSociety, London, England, except where general color terms of ordinarydictionary significance are used.

-   General description:    -   -   Blooming period.—Blooms for four to five weeks from            mid-April to mid-May in northern Illinois.        -   Plant type.—Herbaceous perennial.        -   Plant habit.—Low spreading mound.        -   Height and spread.—An average of 14 cm in height and 49 cm            in width, 24 cm descending length.        -   Hardiness.—At least hardy in U.S.D.A. Zones 4 to 8.        -   Diseases and pests.—Resistance to powdery mildew (caused by            Erysiphe cichoracearum) has been observed.        -   Propagation.—Shoot tip cuttings.        -   Root development.—Shoot tip cuttings will root under mist in            4 to 5 weeks in late spring to early summer, rooted cuttings            will fully fill a 2.5 inch pot with roots in 3 to 4 months,            and when tranplanted in fall and overwintered in a 4-inch            pot, they will bloom the following spring.        -   Growth rate.—Vigorous for a moss Phlox.        -   Root description.—Fibrous and NN155C in color.-   Stem description:    -   -   Stem size.—An average of 24 cm in length and 2 mm in width.        -   Stem shape.—Rounded.        -   Stem strength.—Moderately strong and flexible.        -   Stem color.—Young main stems; 157A, flushed with 184A,            mature stems; 161A.        -   Stem surface.—Young stems; smooth, very slightly glossy, and            densely covered with wooly hairs about 1 mm in length,            matching surface color, mature stems; slightly glossy and            dry and paper like.        -   Stem aspect.—Held horizontally to descending, drooping and            falling downward.        -   Internode length.—An average of 1 cm.        -   Branching habit.—Well branched, an average of 8 main stems            growing from base of plant per stem 20 cm in length.-   Foliage description:    -   -   Leaf shape.—Lanceolate to linear.        -   Leaf division.—Simple.        -   Leaf base.—Truncate to cuneate.        -   Leaf apex.—Acute.        -   Leaf venation.—Pinnate, inconspicuous, matches leaf color on            upper and lower surfaces.        -   Leaf margins.—Entire.        -   Leaf attachment.—Sessile.        -   Leaf arrangement.—Opposite and basal rosettes.        -   Leaf surface.—Smooth, shiny, margins sparsely covered with            fine hairs an average of 1 mm in length and match leaf            color.        -   Leaf color.—Upper and lower surface; 137A, base 138C.        -   Leaf size.—An average of 1.5 cm in length and 3 mm in width.        -   Leaf quantity.—An average of 19 basal rosettes per main            stem, an average of 139 leaves per main stem on a stem 20 cm            in length.        -   Leaf fragrance.—Fresh grass-like scent.-   Flower description:    -   -   Inflorescence type.—A few-flowered cyme on the terminus of            the lateral branches.        -   Lastingness of inflorescence.—About 3 to 4 weeks from the            opening of the first flower to senescence of last flower,            individual flower lasts about 5 days.        -   Inflorescence size.—An average of 5 cm in height and 6 cm in            diameter.        -   Flower fragrance.—Slight pleasant fragrance.        -   Flower number.—An average of 3 per inflorescence.        -   Flower aspect.—Upright and outward from stem, upright from            pedicel.        -   Flower bud.—Spatulate in shape with broadly acute apex, an            average of 1.6 cm in length and 3 mm in width, color; N78B            to N78C.        -   Flower form.—Salverform.        -   Flower size.—An average of 1.6 cm in height and 2.5 cm in            diameter.        -   Corolla tube.—An average of 1.5 cm in length and 3 mm in            width (apex), color a blend of 75A and 75D both surfaces,            glabrous and satiny surface on both surfaces.        -   Corolla lobes.—5, obcordate in shape, held nearly            horizontally when fully open, slightly overlapping near            base, slightly wavy in aspect, an average of 1 cm in length            and 6 mm in width, apex rounded and bi-lobed, base broadly            cuneate and fused to tube, entire margins, color upper            surface when opening and fully open; N78B and blending into            eye 72A and N92A, color lower surface when opening and fully            open; N78C to N78D with a small striations of N77A at base,            glabrous and slightly satiny on upper and lower surfaces.        -   Calyx.—Campanulate in form, comprised of fused sepals with            linear shaped sepal tips free, an average of 1 cm in length            and 5 mm in width.        -   Sepals.—5, primarily fused with free tips, linear in shape,            entire margins, fused base (about 50% to 75%), aristulate            apex, an average of 1 cm in length and 2 mm in width, color            on inner and outer surface 138A, inner surface; glabrous,            smooth, and shiny, outer surface; moderately covered with            wooly hairs about 0.5 mm in length, matches surface color.        -   Peduncles.—Rounded in shape, an average of 2 cm in length            and 1 mm in width, held upright to outward, moderate in            strength, color; 182B, surface satiny and densely covered            with wooly hairs less than 0.5 mm in length and match            surface color.        -   Pedicels.—Rounded in shape, an average of 7 cm in length and            1 mm in width, held at an average angle of 15° to peduncle,            moderate in strength, color 182B, surface satiny and densely            covered with wooly hairs less than 0.5 mm in length and            match surface color.-   Reproductive organs:    -   -   Gynoecium.—1 pistil, stigma; tri-lobed, each lobe is about 1            mm in length and N144A in color, style; about 1.3 cm in            length and 0.3 mm in width, N144A in color, ovary; superior,            ovate to oval in shape, about 2 mm in length and width, 141C            in color.        -   Androcoecium.—5 stamens, anthers; dorsifixed, oblong in            shape, 1.3 mm in length, and 23A in color, filaments; adnate            to petals, an average of 5 mm in length and 155C in color,            pollen; abundant in quantity and 23A in color.        -   Seeds.—None observed.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Phlox plant named‘Early Bird’ as herein illustrated and described.